Five on Friday: Immigrants Afraid to Seek Testing

Not surprisingly, this week’s recommendations from MCN staff members once again heavily leaned toward COVID-19, particularly around the health needs of farmworkers. The pandemic has shined a much-needed spotlight on the essential nature of farmwork to keep our food system operating. And yet, necessary and long-overdue safety and health precautions and access to even basic health care haven’t yet followed. Here’s a collection of news articles and resources we shared this week. We’ve got lots more articles on interest on our Facebook page.

Karen shared a shocking article about health access for H2A workers: “Migrant Farm Workers from Jamaica are Being Forced to Sign COVID-19 Waivers.”

Alma in Massachusetts shared “Fearing Deportation, Many Immigrants at Higher Risk of Covid-19 are Afraid to Seek Testing or care.”

Kaethe shared a “San Joaquin Valley Farmworkers Fear Working — and Not Working - Amid Coronavirus” from the Fresno Bee.

Kaethe also sent around the article: “Hunger strike at Mesa Verde comes to a partial halt as detainees await action on demands".

Triple Weekly Win: ...because we all could use something extra to celebrate. Celebrate health care workers with this new set of downloadable posters and a call for artists from Amplifier on COVID-19, sent by Candace. “Newsom Announces $125M Fund for Undocumented Immigrants Amid Coronavirus Emergency” in California, sent around by Amy. “Parteras reparten compras a mujeres pobres en el suroeste,” forwarded by Marysel, reports on midwives bringing supplies to families in the southeast part of Puerto Rico where recovery from the earthquakes was interrupted by COVID-19 concerns.

Have a safe and healthy weekend.

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